Capitalizing on our culinary reputation

To say 2012 has been a good year for Birmingham’s culinary world would be a bit of an understatement.

Hot and Hot Fish Club’s Chris Hastings won a James Beard Foundation award, which is the culinary equivalent to an Academy Award.

He also appeared on Iron Chef, topping noted celebrity chef Bobby Flay.

Aside from that, Frank Stitt’s Highlands Bar and Grill was once again named a finalist for the nation’s best restaurant, and other local restaurants also received recognition from the Beard Foundation.

This week, we learned that another Beard Award winner, John Currence, is teaming up with the local team behind Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q to bring his Big Bad Breakfast restaurant to Birmingham.

That a hugely successful chef would choose Birmingham for the restaurant’s first foray outside Oxford, Miss., says a lot about the Magic City’s reputation in the food world.

From a business and economic development standpoint, it’s also a very good thing.

We often hear local executives talk about how amenities like the Alabama Symphony and the Birmingham Zoo can aid in economic development and recruitment efforts.

Our culinary sector can – and already does – play a huge role.

Being able to take prospective clients, employees or site selection consultants to a James Beard award-winning restaurant might not be a sticking point in a possible deal.

But it does say a lot about Birmingham’s status and our image.

Considering the preconceived notions they may hold about our area due to our past and our present challenges, you can’t put a price on that type of positive impression.

And when you think about all of the positive media exposure chefs like Hastings, Stitt and others bring to Birmingham, it’s clear that we have something special here.

For those reasons, the business community needs to find more ways to promote our unique food culture. We need to have a coordinated effort to bring top culinary decision makers here so they can leave raving about Birmingham.

It’s an initiative that could pay big dividends, both now and in the future.